THE PICK OF THE GLITTER . . .
February 5, 2002

By LOU LUMENICK

MY predictions for nominations in Oscar's other main categories:

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Jennifer Connolly ("A Beautiful Mind") is the heavy favorite - though there's a chance she could sneak into Best Actress, where she landed in the Screen Actors Guild noms.

The likeliest other nominees seem to be Maggie Smith and Helen Mirren (both for "Gosford Park"), Marisa Tomei ("In the Bedroom") and Kate Winslet ("Iris").

But, given the history of surprises in this category, Emily Watson ("Gosford Park") or even young Dakota Fanning (who plays Sean Penn's daughter in "I Am Sam") could easily displace Winslet.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Ben Kingsley, going against type as a Brit gangster ("Sexy Beast"), and Jim Broadbent (the heroine's husband in "Iris") seem like sure things, and Ian McKellen (Gandalf the Wizard in "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings") nearly so.

I'm guessing the field will be completed by Steve Buscemi ("Ghost World") and Tony Shalhoub ("The Man Who Wasn't There").

However, since both those films were so low-profile, the nominees could just as easily be Hayden Christensen (SAG-nominated for "Life as a House"), Joe Pantoliano ("Memento"), Jon Voight ("Ali") - or even Gene Hackman ("The Royal Tenenbaums"), if he gets squeezed out of the Best Actor race.

BEST DIRECTOR: The givens are Aussie wunderkind Baz Luhrmann ("Moulin Rouge"), New Zealand's Peter Jackson ("Lord of the Rings") and American Ron Howard, who was snubbed for "Apollo 13," but will get a nomination for "A Beautiful Mind."

They are likely to be joined by fellow SGA award nominee Ridley Scott ("Black Hawk Down"), but the Robert Altman ("Gosford Park") will probably get the fifth slot instead of SGA nominee Christopher Nolan ("Memento").

ORIGINAL SCREEENPLAY: "Gosford Park," "Moulin Rouge," "Mulholland Drive," "The Royal Tenenbaums" and "Memento."

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: "A Beautiful Mind," "Lord of the Rings," "In the Bedroom," "Iris" and "Ghost World."

FOREIGN FILM: France's heavily promoted "Amélie" is way out in front.

The only other contender in this category with a prayer of a chance (and it's a far superior movie, if you ask me) is the Bosnian antiwar drama, "No Man's Land."

Judi's Category (same writer, different article):

BEST ACTRESS

Speaking of which, Wilkinson's co-star, Sissy Spacek, is an odds-on favorite, as Julia Roberts was last year, in the Best Actress race - and it doesn't hurt that Sissy's a five-time nominee and winner for "Coal Miner's Daughter."

Judi Dench, another multiple nominee, will also be on the red carpet for playing an Alzheimer's victim in the biopic "Iris" - even though it's been seen by hardly anyone except Academy members.

The trio of sure things for Best Actress is completed by Halle Berry, even if her scorching turn as an executed prisoner's wife in "Monster's Ball" was more talked-about than seen.

Then it gets interesting. Momentum seems to be picking up for Renée Zellweger as the eponymous heroine of "Bridget Jones's Diary," though she's far from a sure thing.

The fifth slot should belong to Nicole Kidman, but she's got a problem: She's refused to express a preference between her two breakthrough performances, in "Moulin Rouge" and the thriller "The Others" - and both have been promoted to the max.

This apparently cost her a SAG nomination - and it may do the same in the Oscars. An actor can't be nominated for an Oscar for more than one picture, and she may end up splitting her own vote.

If that happens, don't be surprised to see a nod for fellow Saucy Aussie and Nicole pal Naomi Watts, who had a breakthrough of her own in "Mulholland Drive." p>Source: New York Post